Not Working Anymore
by Excited-Insomniac
Summary: Warning: this is not fluffy or heartwarming. Kataangers read with caution, Aang ends your ship. Four years post-show.


**Not Working Anymore**

Katara smiled joyfully as she entered the kitchen. The main complex of Air Temple Island had only been completed a few months, and she was still in the process of making the place into a home, but it was beautiful and she loved it already. She couldn't wait to spend the rest of her life there.

The War was four years in the past now, and Aang's Peace, as they were calling it, was spreading eagerly throughout the lands. Republic City was bustling with energy and commerce, everything a new city could hope for. She could see it from the window next to the sink, and admired the way the sun struck the glimmering towers and the water of Yue Bay.

Aang was absent, and this made her sad. She wound have loved to share the beautiful view with him. But he had been gone for the past ten days, far to the south to visit the Temple of his origins, to meditate and be at peace in a way he had not been able to practically since emerging from the ice berg. It made her nervous when he went away without her. He was the most powerful person in the world, true, but not everyone liked what he had done, and she felt like she should be with him in case anyone tried something. He was pacifistic enough to not fight back before they did real damage to him. But those people were few and far between, as she kept telling herself.

She set about the dishes, humming and reminiscing. Zuko and Mai had married last year, to the joy of all. There was no sign of an heir yet, but she knew they loved each other, so it wouldn't be long. Zuko had mentioned how honored he would be if she would help with the birth, whenever it was. He said he regarded her healing skills above all else, and wanted her to bring his children into the world. She was flattered beyond words, of course.

Her brother and Suki were engaged, and had been for two years, but they seemed content to take things slow. They were only twenty, after all. They were in Ba Sing Se with Toph, helping the Earth King unbury himself from the layers and layers of conspiracy and treachery which had dominated the courts for so long. It was sad that they were all so scattered—Zuko and Mai off in the Fire Nation, Sokka, Suki and Toph far to the east, she and Aang here in Republic City… Well, Aang was usually here. Not right now.

She couldn't wait for Sokka and Suki to marry. She knew how much they cared for each other, and Suki made her brother into such a good person. And, she blushed to think, by then Aang might have decided to ask her a certain question too. He just needed the right moment.

She chided herself for such thoughts. She loved Aang and wanted to marry him someday, but being impatient about it did no good. It would happen as the Sprits willed, and no sooner. She was working hard to become more worthy of him though. He was the Avatar, after all, the savior of the world, the one who had defeated Ozai and ended the 100 Year War. She was simply Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. She had been studying the ways of the Air Nomads to understand him and his culture better, but had had little success. Once she had tried on Air Acolyte robes, but it had felt like a fish wearing feathers, and she had quickly taken them off again. That was the crux of her problem, of course: she felt like she would never understand him properly. There was a mixture of all the Nations in him, not only Air. He was part Water, but she was full Water, and she felt bad for being unable to reciprocate the understanding.

All of a sudden, a gust of air rustled the trees outside, and she saw Aang walking down from the meditation pavilion, folding his glider. She broke into a smile and rushed from the room to go greet him. She nearly knocked a couple Acolytes over, but didn't pause to apologize: her boyfriend was home.

"Aang!" she shouted, bursting out of the Temple and running to him. "I missed you so much!" She flung her arms around him and buried her face against his shoulder. The four years since the War had changed Aang just as it had changed the rest of them. He was taller than her now: he was lanky and long-limbed, and his muscles had obviously not caught up with his bones. He had lost every ounce of baby fat and his face was thin and handsome, though he was still struggling with the beard thing. His grey eyes were tired and seemed oddly guarded as he looked down at her, and his smile was tight at the edges.

"Hey, Katara," he said.

"How are you?" she asked. "You look tired. Would you like lunch? How was the Temple?"

"I'm, um, fine. The Temple was fine, and no thanks to lunch. Would you actually take a walk with me?"

"Sure, Aang," she replied warmly. She was well enough attuned to him to know that he was acting strange, and wondered what was troubling him. Katara linked her arm through his and they strolled towards the path that led down to the beach where a long dock was in the midst of being constructed.

"So you know I went to the Temple to think and meditate…" Aang began, sounding strangely awkward as the cool breeze whisked through their clothing. "What I was thinking about was, um… us."

Katara's heart thumped dramatically. "Yes?" Maybe she wouldn't have to wait for Sokka and Suki's wedding after all!

"Well, what I was thinking about was… that, um… we should… um… break up."

Her heart stopped. The sun glimmered on the towers of Republic City and the water of Yue Bay. The cool breeze whisked through their clothing. The sun beamed down cheerfully and made her squint, because she wasn't squinting to hold her tears back, because Aang had _not_ just said that…

"Over the past few months I've realized that we're not really… _working…_ anymore. We were different people four years ago, and I don't think our relationship has… evolved as we grew up. I'm not twelve anymore, and you're not fourteen, and I don't think we know how to have a relationship that's… appropriate for adults."

"But… you were the one who didn't want to do that yet—"

"I know, and that's not what I'm talking about. I mean emotionally. I feel like you still think I'm a kid you need to protect, and a part of me definitely still thinks of you as a mother. We're not… _right_ right now, do you understand?"

"No," she choked. "I—I _love_ you, and we—we don't have to break up, we're f-fine, I'm not your m-mother, I l-l-love you, _please_ Aang…"

"I love you too Katara, but you're a helper and a fixer and you need someone who needs that. It's not me anymore. I need someone who will take me on my own terms."

"_I_ take you on your own terms!" she begged. "Please, Aang, I'll do whatever it takes, anything you need—"

"I'm sorry, Katara. This is just how it has to be."

He gently disentangled his arm from hers and turned to walk back up the stairs to the Temple, but Katara couldn't even move to catch herself as she collapsed onto the sand and wept.

**A/N: Kay, so basically what prompted this was that I was super sick of reading fics where Kataang ends because Katara was cheating on Aang with Zuko. I don't think she'd do that, and I'm tired of reading them. But at the same rate, i sincerely don't think they work as a couple. So, this was born. I hope it sounds legit, but I'm not like, married to it. Thoughts ya'll? **

**All characters are owned by Bryke, Nick, and Viacom.**

**E.I. signing out**


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